Shot Down
by ThoseLonelyNights
Summary: Caitlin is shot down by one of the Flash's newest enemies. The team works to try and save her life. Based off of newest promo pics for 3x18 but could be generally put in any situation. Touching team moments.


Disclaimer: I don't own the Flash or any of its characters

Shot Down

"Caitlin!" Cisco's scream rang out in alarm. Caitlin, whose hands were once up in defense as she had been backed into the corner, hit the floor with a hard thud. Pain erupting from her abdomen, she grit her teeth and writhed on the floor. Their villain had vanished in a blink but now without giving a sickening smirk. Cisco, who was closest, ran to his friend's side and saw the blood pooling on her abdomen and darkening her plum sweater. Cisco's stomach turned at the sight. Barry, with hi super speed, jumped into action. Practically flying past Cisco, he gathered Caitlin in his arms and raced to the Star Labs medical bay. He gently placed her on the bed, the same one he had laid in countless times. This time, however; it was him would had to save her. The stakes had risen without a healing ability Barry possessed or an expert meta-human doctor like Caitlin to help. The roles were reversed. She may still have felt dizzy from the adrenaline but Caitlin still worked fast, pulling at her sweater. Cisco and the others met up with the two. Cisco ran to the other side of his friend and helped pull the fabric over her head. They balled it up and pressed it against the bleeding wound; Caitlin's hands over top of Cisco's. Now in her white blouse, the blood was bright red in sight. So much blood. Barry helplessly stepped back, feeling sick in the back of his throat. Julian ran to Caitlin's side, across from Cisco. His pained expression alarmed Barry, who had noted the romantic tension between the two recently but he couldn't call them a couple yet. But the way Julian, brow furrowed and fear in his eyes, looked at Caitlin now made Barry see the authentic care Julian had for her.

Cisco, still applying pressure to Caitlin's abdomen, mumbled to her words of encouragement which were lost in the sound of her pitched breathing. She locked eyes with her best friend, something that reassured both of them. Barry saw the tears pooling in Cisco's eyes. A nagging voiced raged in his head, _'Do something! Do something now! She's dying!'_

Fear clawing at his chest, Barry rolled his hands into tight fists. He was powerless to help.

"We have to get the bullet out!" Julian ordered. He had placed a comforting hand on Caitlin's shoulder and she leaned into his touch even though it caused her pain.

"Caitlin is the only doctor here!" Cisco yelled.

"Julian, you have to help. You're the most relatively qualified person," Barry said, voice straining against his tight throat. His mind was jumbled; clouded thoughts and a ringing alarm. His friend was badly hurt and he felt his body paralyzed. Julian shot Barry a concerned look.

"I trust you," Caitlin managed a weak whisper, sensing Julian's doubt. Julian looked down at Caitlin's pale face and sucked in a breath of courage before nodding. Cisco reluctantly pulled his hands away to gather equipment. He had followed Caitlin's directions a hundred times for Barry before. Caitlin took shallow breaths and waited. Luckily, there were two speedsters in the room to turn their med bay into a mini-operation room. Julian placed an IV into Caitlin's arm. Her skin was cold to the touch but not as cold as whenever her darker side, Killer Frost, took over. However, when Caitlin's warm brown eyes and smile reached him, he was reassured Killer Frost was nowhere near. Cisco came by Caitlin's head and placed the nasal cannula under nose to assist breathing. He tried his best not to let the tears in his eyes fall.

Iris fell behind Barry and she watched as his body shook in fear. She bit down on the inside of her cheek and took a step forward. Barry was surprised by her sudden action until he saw what she was doing. Unselfishly, Iris came to Caitlin's side. The two looked at each other in silence. Iris still had fresh memories of her laying in the same position, gasping for breath and shaking in pain, begging for Caitlin to help her. She would have never had guessed something like this would happen to Caitlin. Iris moved her hands to Caitlin's shirt and paused. Caitlin gave her a nod of assurance. Iris removed the restrictive clothing. The wound was bleeding profusely. Still, Iris continued. She covered Caitlin with the cloth Cisco handed her. It covered her while leaving the wound open for easy access. Cisco then pressed fresh gauze on the bleeding wound.

"Iris, could you help me?" Julian asked. Iris' eyes widened.

"What? Me?" She questioned.

"Yes, I need another and you have the steadiest of hands right now," Julian explained. Iris opened her mouth to protest but looked at Barry's heavy frown then at the unconscious Caitlin, with blood staining her skin. Julian handed Iris scrubs and gloves to change into and Iris took the almost immediately. Julian got dressed as well and began working as soon as possible. Iris, who didn't even have time to pull her hair back into a ponytail, followed Julian's instructions.

Cisco and Barry had stepped aside but kept their eyes on their friend. Barry nervously chewed at his fingernails. Silently, he begged for her to be alright. After all they had been through, _Please, don't let this be her demise._ Caitlin was his best friend, one he needed. She had been there countless of times to save him, to pull him out of the dark. He bounced on the balls of his feet. Energy crackling underneath his skin. His heart thudded in his chest and all he could do was watch.

Cisco watched with anticipation and visibly flinched at every movement Julian made inside of Caitlin. He bit his tongue as to not cry out. Caitlin was his friend, practically family now. The pain of his brother's death still stung. He could not handle losing Caitlin, she who stayed with him at Star Labs after the particle accelerator exploded, she who went with him to family events as support, and she who slept on his couch after Dante's death so he wouldn't feel so lonely. Watching the scene before him was one of the most painful, like an ice pick to his heart.

Iris found that Julian was right. She was able to keep her hands still as she followed his every word. She kept looking up at Caitlin's still face. The two had not been close. More times than not, Iris just felt as if her only purpose on Team Flash was to be 'Barry's girlfriend'. She was the one who needed saving. Caitlin had not only saved Barry each time but Iris once before. She trusted Caitlin to save her. Iris admired Caitlin's strength. Losing her husband twice, then facing off mad-man Zoom, and now with powers threatening her sanity. Caitlin had done it all while caring for others. Iris wanted to help her now. Caitlin had to make it.

Julian worked diligently, putting his mind in a professional mode despite his feelings and conflict with Caitlin. He had truly liked her, call it Stockholm syndrome if you want since he was once her prisoner. But that was Killer Frost and he had fallen for Caitlin Snow, the sweet doctor who was in desperate need to rid the monster inside of her head. That is why she had recruited him. Though she claims different. He wishes it were true. He focused on the task. Like the autopsies, he had done before. Expect not because she was not dead. He would not allow her to die. Time with Team Flash had caused Julian to blur the line of good and evil. Not all was black and white. Caitlin showed him that and so had Barry. Now, they depended on him. Blood was all over his hands. He envied Caitlin's ability to perform well under such pressure. She was one to be marveled at. So, Julian ignored the feelings strangling him and stabbing his heart and continued.

It took longer than anyone had wanted but finally Julian was finishing up with the stitches on Caitlin. Her vitals were returning to normal and all could let out a sigh of relief. Now, Barry felt a new emotion: pure anger. This new villain had hurt Caitlin. That was unforgivable. Barry could only think of revenge now. It boiled inside of him and yet he waited until Caitlin was bandaged up to run off with Wally to get back into the fight, Cisco tracking the villain as they ran.

While Barry and Wally were back out in the streets and with Cisco and Iris in their ears, Julian stayed by Caitlin's side. No one moved him but they did exchange suspicious looks. Julian bounced his knee as he sat next to the bed. He thought of his moments with Caitlin, the night they got drinks and she had him laughing for hours or the time they went out for a nice dinner. She had warned him to stayaway. He wondered her motives. And he also wondered if he would be able to make her laugh after this.

Caitlin woke up with a jerk and her eyes snapped opened as if she were escaping a nightmare. Her body tensed as she quickly scanned the room before seeing Julian beside her. She relaxed at the sight of him and leaned her head further into the pillow below her. Julian instinctively grabbed onto Caitlin's hand and she smiled.

"How're you feeling?" Julian asked. Caitlin intertwined her fingers in his.

"I'm ok," She answered. Her mind was still dazed but she could feel her heart beat in her chest. She looked over Julian's face and noticed how weary his eyes looked. Then she asked, "Where's Barry?"

"On his way back, everything is fine," Julian had to admit the twinge of jealousy in him when Caitlin mentioned Barry. He had to remind himself that it was Caitlin who took care of the speedster for years. Her job was to worry about him. It was then when he realized they were still holding hands and he felt his cheeks get hot. Caitlin squeezed his hand as if she could read his thoughts. Her fingers were still cold and her eyes were heavy, threatening to shut once again.

"Thank you," her voice was so sweet. Julian couldn't help the bright smile on his face. Then, Caitlin shifted uncomfortably and made a move to sit up. Julian placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"You should be careful and rest," He explained, seeing the question in her eyes. Then with a slight chuckle, he added, "I did my best but I'm afraid you are the better doctor here."

"I am glad you are here. I am sorry I mad you think I only wanted to use you to get rid of my powers. I know you don't believe me but that really was not the reason. I hope you stay and I won't ask you to do anything for me again." Caitlin said. Julian looked at her lips as she spoke and wanted to kiss them. But he didn't. His heart still hurt.

"Perhaps I will stay," Julian gave her hand a squeeze this time, a silent message between the two of them. He could not escape the feelings he had for her.

Barry walked into the room, still in his red flash suit. He smiled when he saw Caitlin. She had fallen asleep after speaking with Julian and only just woken up recently. She sat up on her own now, looking down at her hands in thought. Her hair fell in messy curls down her shoulders. Her skin was still paler than usual but not lifelessly drained of color like before. She wore a S.T.A.R. Labs sweatshirt since her other clothes were soaked in blood. She looked smaller sitting there. Barry sat down to the bed beside her. He stared at her intensely and asked, "Hey, you ok?"

Caitlin looked up and gave a quick smile and polite nod. Barry looked at her as if she might disappear. He could recall other times he had almost lost her: when Captain Cold held her captive, when Zoom kidnapped her, and when Killer Frost almost took over her mind. Each were scarier than the last. Caitlin had been Barry's anchor in the past. It was as if, in all the storms they went through, they never left each other's side. He only wished he could protect her more. He recalled the pain not being able to help her. Flashpoint caused her to have these damning powers. He wasn't able to save her then. When she had been shot, bleeding to death in front of him, he felt more helpless. He had never seen Caitlin like that before. Yet both lived another day and that brought him happiness. Then, Barry looked again. Caitlin had her bottom lip in between her teeth.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Caitlin stopped her nervous action.

"Nothing." Barry raised an eyebrow at her. Caitlin sighed, "Bad thought."

Barry's smile was replaced with a look of concern. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she instinctively moved closer. She breathed in his familiar scent and found his body heat addicting. Caitlin whispered, "I thought…that if I had died then…the headline in the future-it wouldn't have come true."

'Killer Frost still at large'. That headline burned his heart. Caitlin was not evil. She would not kill. This other personality terrified her, though. Barry knew it haunted every corner of her mind. He also knew of her depression and suicidal thoughts after the death of Ronnie (the first death). It was her work with Cisco and Barry as Team Flash that had given her hope. She trusted him with these secrets. Caitlin worked so hard to pull herself together. Barry had watched her open back up into the world. Now a new threat loomed over their heads. Killer Frost was something else. It was killing her from the inside out. Barry pulled her closer and wrapped his other arm around her too. She rested her head on his shoulder. He held her now and that brought his mind peace. He drew spirals on her arm with his fingertips. Barry could not imagine life without her now that she was here.

"I promise you, I will help you. You won't turn into Killer Frost. I am going to make sure that doesn't happen," Barry said, eyes stinging. He kissed the top of her head. Caitlin found comfort in his words even for just a moment. They stayed like that for a minute, seeking peace in each other's embrace. They eventually pulled away and smiled at each other. Just then, Cisco came running into the room. He pulled Caitlin into a hug. Caitlin laughed at his eagerness.

"I am so glad you're okay," Cisco whispered in her ear. Caitlin smiled and closed her eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and curled her fingers into his shirt. Sweet Cisco, who had seen death before, almost saw it again. Caitlin and Cisco had been together since the beginning, before the possibility of meta-humans was around. Oh, how she wanted to pause this moment forever. After the hug, Cisco looked to both with a grin on his face. "How about we do something tonight; the three of us?"

Caitlin gave him a questioning glance. Fresh stitches and surgery did not mix well with a night out on the town.

"Not like we have to go to the club or anything. Let's just watch a movie or something. Like the Team Flash days," Cisco explained. Caitlin and Barry looked to each other as if speaking telepathically. Before, Cisco had cursed himself for ever being Barry's friend. Lost were the days of coffee breaks and movie nights and bar nights just the three of them. Then, with the inclusion of other team members, it seemed as if the trio was falling apart each day. They silently craved the days sitting side-by-side as the trio of Team Flash who had survived Thawne's evil plots together.

"Yeah, alright," Barry agreed.

"I'm in," Caitlin said. Barry stood and helped Caitlin off the bed.

"Alright, OG Team Flash movie night at my place! Whoo!" Cisco exclaimed with a clap of his hands. At this, Caitlin giggled. The three of them walked out side-by-side, Caitlin in the middle with an arm on each of her boys.


End file.
